Air-valve.



H; M. STILLMAN. AIR VALVE. APP LLOATIQN FILED SEPT.10, 1906.

l tfL'ihesses; Q j vgz'ivor,

v Patented Feb. 25, 1913 ing description, in connection ans ra an onion.

'HENRY STILLMAN, OF BRIDGEPORT, CQNNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE LQCOEIOBILE COMPANY OF AMERICA, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA. i

AIR-VALVE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. $5, 19313.

Application filed September 10, 1906. Serial No. 333,934.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Hnivizr M. STILLMAN, citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, county of Fairfield, State of Connecticut, have invented an Improve ment in- Air-Valves, of which the followwith the ac companying' drawings, is a. specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention relates to controlling means for internal combustion engines, being especially concerned with theprovision of an improved form of an automatic air valve for controlling the the en ine.

My invention will be best understood by reference to the following specification when taken in connection with panying illustrations of one specific embodiment thereof, while its scope will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims. *In the drawings: Figure 1 shows in vertical sectional elevation one form of 2111-.

toinatic air valve constructed according to my invention and applied to an ordinary form of carbureter; Fig. 2 shows the air valve in side elevation, partially in section;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a valve; Fig. 4 is a detail showing the spiral controlling spring; Fig. 5, a section taken through the spring wire; and Fig. 6, a section in plan taken on the line 66 of Fig. 2.

By referring to the drawings and to the specific embodiment of my invention there shown, there is represented a carbureter A which may be of any suitable type but which herein is constructed for application to the multiple cylinder engine of a motorvehicle and provided with suitable devices for its control'in conjunction with the control of the vehicle, all of which-will be fully understood and appreciated by thoseskilled in the art. Since the motor vehicle and engine may be of any suitable or usual construction they are not herein" illustrated.

It will, of course, be understood that while my invention has peculiar application to the control of a motor vehicle engine and is 'best described with reference thereto, in

vention auxiliary air supply to the acconiexplosive mixture of gaseous fuelthrou h .the" admission pipe at, leading from t e chamber 1), which chamber ing or otherwise vaporizing the same and.

delivering to the mixing chamber through the opening b in the under side thereof a mixture of the vaporized fuel with a suit-. able quantity of air.

Exit or discharge from the mixing chamber takes place through the port Z512, at one.

end of the mixing chamber, into the annular chamber 6 which has direct communication with the admission controlled by the piston valve 6 slidably.

pipe a. The port 6 is mounted lengthwise of the chamber, acting to open or close the port.

The valve has connection at one end with the actuating 'rod 6 which passes through the head of the mixing chamber and has connection with a shown). When the valve moves to or toward the position shown in Fig. 1. vVlien the engine starts the governor Weights throw the valve to partially or wholly close the port 5 according to the engine speed.

At the opposite end of the valve and pass ing outward through the opposite head of themixing chamber is the-auxiliary actuating rod 6 which has its inner end loosely mounted in the valve body and its opposite or outer end connected to a foot accelerating lever (not shown). The auxiliary accelerating rod 5 carries outside the chamber a collar b'" between which and the adjustably fixed collar b is maintained the compression spring 6. With the engine running, the rodjlfi abuts against the rod 6 speed governor (not causing the governor to actalso against the spring I)? the compression of which may be adjustably open.

entering the mixing chamber 12 there as provided near the upperei rd of the ta -1 the engine .is supplied with an I The carengine is at rest the a varied,'while the governorcon- 'trol of the valve may at any time be superseded by movement of the foot accelerator, lever to force the rod forward and the valve F01; the further dilut-ioniof the mixture" atmosphere, passing thence into the mixing chamber. as regulated by the cup shaped piston valve d, which normally closes the J lower end thereof.

The piston valve (Z is slidably mounted within the air chamber and is carried by the piston rod d, upon which it may be projected to a greater or less extent out I of the air chamber and into the space below (Fig. 2) thereby to admit air to the mixing chamber in greater or less quantities.

The piston rod cl passes u-pward through the central opening in the casting e, which latter is secured to the upper end-of the neck or nipple. At its upper end the piston rod also passes through and is guided by the central supporting portion f of the cap casting f, the latter comprising an annular ring having threaded engagement with the lower. casting e and connected to the central portion f by a plurality of ribs or arms.

During operation of the engine, if the speed-increases the suction of the lower side of the piston valve (Z increases correspondingly and the valve tends to open, to admit air for the further dilution oi" the mixture, the suction and extent of opening being automatically regulated by the speed. In valves of this class it is highly desirable that the force or means acting in opposition to the suction of the valve and tending to restore the valve to its normal; or closed position should be of an extremely delicate and sensitive nature. Otherwise the valve tends to stick and open too late or not at all, or, when once open, tends to remain so or to overthrow beyond the required position. This is a fault which I found to a greater or less degree with all prior valves of this class with which I am familiar.

In the present instance, I have provided a restoring medium of the utmost delicacy. the same in the illustrated embodiment ol my invention comprising a spring g, coiled in the form of a flat spiral and having its outer coil held tastbetween the threaded cap f and a shoulder on the casting e. The inner coil of the spiral is held between upper and lower threaded nuts 71, adjust ably secured to the piston rod (1.

The spring 9, consisting as it does preterably of a number of helical coils of springwire lying normally in substantially the same plane, offers a most delicate and sensitively responsive opposition to the engine suction upon the valve. While -this means for controlling the 'valve may be varied within wide limits, and in the event of using a spring such as described the same may be fashioned or proportioned in any suitable way, preferably, though not necessarily, the spring is'forined of wire having a somewhat flattened or elongated cross section, such as is is shown in Fig. 5, this being found to give elasticity with suitable permanency and delicacy.

To render the springs more easily handled 0 or shipped the extreme outer end of the spring wire is beveled down to a point and brazed or otherwise suitably fastened as at g. to the outer side of the next adjacent coil, and the inner end of the spring wire is 35 also treated in a similar fashion as'at This unites the detached free. ends of the spring wire to the body of the spring,'rendering it much more compact.

In order to prevent the too sudden moveinentof the valve there. is provided means such as the washer Z2, of leather or other suitable material, for slightly checking the movement of the piston.

In operation the suction of the engine drawns down the valve, for example as shown in Fig. 2, the gradually increasing resistance of the spring opposing such n'ioveinent. If the suction is sufficient thevalve Will move to its limit, that is, until the admission area opened by the valve equals the admiss on area represented by the apertures For eushuniing the valve' .on its return movement there is provided thespiral cushioning spring Z, held betwccii position shown in Fig. 1 but exerting a no suitable cushioi'iing eliectwhen the valve overthrows or moves above the normal posit on shown on upward or return lllti\'t'-- ment.

It will thus be seen that in both opening and closing the' valveis relieved from any sudden shock such as would occur were it caused positively to seal against stop abutments or the like. In its bacli'ward moveanent it niceti the cushioning ell'ectol the spring and in its downward ii'iov n'nent it comes auloiiialically to rest when the limit of suction is reached as above. 1

in practical use the above type of valve has been found to produce marked in'iprovement in the opiu'atioi'i of the engine. In itself it is practically noiseless, eliminating that vibration or l'ltlll'litllillg which' has heretofore been the usual accoinpaniinent of valves of this class. It has also been found to relieve the engine itself of much of the vibration or hammering which takes place in thecrank shaft and other engine parts It is of especial advantage however in respect to the delicacy with which it automatically operates in response to the speed requirements of the engine for admitting varying quantities of air for the dilution of the mixture.

In the particular embodiment of my invention shown I have indiated means for throttling n-ore or less the admission of air to the air chamber 0. In the present instance this comprises a sleeve 122, having rectangular perforations m corresponding to the perforations a in the .walls of the air chamber. This sleeve encircles the air chamber and may be adjusted to a position thereon where the two sets of openings register as in Fig; (5, or where the sleeve covers more or less the inner openings. The set screw in may be employed to hold the outer sleeve in fixed position.

\l'hile I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention it will be understood that the same is not limited to the particular details herein set forth but that passage extensive modifications therein and wide deviati ns therefrom both in the construction of form and relative. arrangement of parts 'may be had without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims- 1. In an aiand fuel mixing device for internal combustion engines, the combination with an automatically movable air valve, of a flat spiral spring for holding said valve yieldably against movement in either direction lengthwise the axis of the spiral.

2. ln an air and fuel mixing device for internal combustion engines, the combination with a receptacle having an air admission passage, of an air valve arranged in said to control the admission of air through the same. and a spiral spring yieldably ustaining said valve against movement lengthwise the axis of the spiral, the valve presenting opposing pressure areas to the outside and inside pressures respectively to permit said valve to respond to the suction of the engine and supply air to meet the same.

3. in an air and fuel mixing device for internal combustion' engines, an auxiliary air supply valve comprising an admission opening. a piston valve normally closing said opening having one area exposed to the atmosphere and the other to the suction of theengine whereby said valve is Withdrawn from said opening on increase of engine speed, and a spiral spring for causing the retractim of said valve Within said opening said valve having its opening and closing movemen lengthwise the axis of the spiral. 4

4. in an air and fuel mixing device for internal combustion engines, the combination of a chamber to receive an air supply, an air admission valve for said chamber controlled by air pressure in said chamber and operated by atmospl'ieric pressure, a suitably supporttal'tla't spiral pring, and a ste'n for said valve rigidly tixed to said spring and suspended therefrom said valve having its opening and closing move'inent lengthwise the axis of the spiral.-

ln an air and fuel-mixing device for internal combustion engines the combination with an air admission valve 1/. (the valve stem r! connected therewith. and "a spiral governing spring 1/ connected with the said valve stem 11' said valve having its opening and closing movement lengthwise the axis of the spiral.

(3. In an air and fuel mixing device for internal combustion engines, the combination with an air valve, of a spiral governing spring having a spring member of elongated crcss-scction said valve having its opening and closing movement lengthwise the axis of the spiral.

T. In an air and fuel mixing device for internal combustion engines, the combination with a chamber to rcceive an air supply aml an air admission valve for said chamber controlled by the dill'erence in pressure between the air within and outside said chamber, said valve having a movement either side of a normal position, and a spiral governing spring for said valve having one end secured thereto and governing the movement of the valve lengthwise the axis of the spiral. said spring tending to restore said valve to its normal position when moved in either direction.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of 7 two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY M. ."llLlAIAN. \Vitnesses:

Jonx \V. Bxxus, 'lnoiias B. Boom. 

